'Royal Lady with Bird Cage'.
Signed Bui Huu Hung, labeled 'Ben Thanh Art & Frame Vietnam' verso. Image area 120x120 cm. Frame 143x143 cm.
Compare other works by this artist sold at Bonhams, lot 17&18, Southeast Asian Art, 21 – 27 June 2024, Paris, avenue Hoche.
Certificate issued by the artist and Galerie Nguyen dated 2007 accompanies the lot.
Bui Huu Hung was born in 1957 in Hanoi, Vietnam, during the war. He was fascinated by lacquer painting early, and travelled around small villages as an 18-year-old where he studied traditional Vietnamese lacquer art, an ancient technique that has been cherished for centuries. After his military service in 1978, he continued his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts.
Hung renews traditional lacquer painting with a unique and personal expression. His works are grand yet intimate, often featuring women dressed in vibrant, ornate clothing reminiscent of portraits from court life. Ornamental patterns and colour choices create depth and contrast, while elements of gold leaf add a shimmering light. Bui Huu Hung's works are appreciated internationally and have been exhibited in London, Dubai, and Vietnam.